Luis Suárez is anxious to ensure Liverpool will not be exiled from continental competition for the first time in 12 years.

To avoid that fate, Kenny Dalglish's team need to win their battle with Tottenham Hotspur for fifth place in the Premier League. The prize is Europa League involvement but Suárez has an answer for those Anfield regulars who believe the former Champions League winners are beneath what many regard as a distinctly second string contest.

Told that the Europa League was seen as unimportant in certain quarters, the Uruguay striker said: "For me it's not. For me it's important, it's the sort of competition you want to play in. A club like Liverpool must aim to win it. We have to do everything to win as many competitions as we can," said Suárez.

"The Europa League is our objective. When I came I wanted to help Liverpool get there. When the second half of the season started, it looked really difficult but we have kept winning games and we've just been hoping Tottenham drop points."

Liverpool's European ambitions almost certainly hinge on the outcome of their match with Spurs at Anfield on Sunday week. Dalglish's side are in fifth place, level on points with Harry Redknapp's team but having played a game more. "That is going to be a great game," said Suárez. "That will be the most important game of our season if we want to dream about going to the Europa League."

His sentiments were endorsed by Jamie Carragher. "It's nice to have the Europa League to aim for," said the veteran defender. "I know there's a lot of talk about whether people want us to finish fifth or not but, for me, Liverpool is European football. That's what the club is about and I'm desperate for us to get it. Tottenham will probably feel the same; it will be a great game against them now."

Not that Carragher is naive about the prospect of another season spent as Channel Five's Thursday night "stars". "The problem of playing Thursday and then Sunday is that it doesn't give players much time to recover," he said.

"But it's another trophy to go for. I'd have loved to have been in Dublin [for this year's final] in a couple of weeks; that would have been fantastic."

He even believes participation in next season's unwieldy pre-Christmas group stage could contain hidden benefits, particularly for more junior squad members. "I wouldn't expect us to play our full team – especially in the group stages – but it's great experience for young players to be involved in that kind of game," said Carragher.

"Sometimes, if you are playing only League games, you don't need to change the team too much, so you have 10 or 12 disappointed players. Having more games makes it easier to keep everyone happy."

Liverpool has been an increasingly sunny place since Roy Hodgson stepped down, Dalglish returned and Suárez arrived on the English stage.

"The manager is always the main man and takes the most plaudits but Suárez has been outstanding," said Carragher. "He has made a big difference to us. Maybe not as much as the manager but a big difference."